1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to "knockdown" modular shelving systems and, more particularly, to a shelving system with a hanger bracket that permits easy and secure installation and/or removal of one or more shelves without requiring the disassembly of the entire shelving system.
The shelving system of the present invention provides sturdy, durable, and versatile shelving, and will find use in commercial, industrial and residential applications and environments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modular shelving systems are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,138,123 (Maslow) and 3,208,408 (Maslow) disclose knockdown shelving units sold by InterMetro Industries Corporation that have achieved substantial commercial success under the trademark ERECTA SHELF.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,424,111 (Maslow) and 3,523,508 (Maslow) disclose a modular adjustable shelving system that has also achieved great commercial success under InterMetro Industries' trademark SUPER ERECTA SHELF. This system comprises a formed-wire shelf component having a frusto-conically-shaped collar at each corner for receiving a support post. Each collar tapers outwardly toward its lower extremity when viewed in normal use. Generally cylindrical support posts, each having a plurality of uniformly spaced annular grooves formed in its outer surface, are secured to the shelf by means of a mounting assembly. Each mounting assembly comprises at least two separate, complementary, conical-shaped mounting members which are joined about and at least partially surround the support posts to define a sleeve. The outer surface of each sleeve is frusto-conically shaped. Thus, the mounting member is thickest at its bottom. The sleeves are sized to fit snugly within the shelf collars. A rib formed on an inside surface of each sleeve is sized to engage the grooves formed in the support posts.
In use, sleeves are first placed about each support post such that the rib formed on the inside surface of each sleeve engages an appropriate groove in the support at the desired height. The support posts within the sleeves mounted thereon are then each passed through one respective collar at a corner of each shelf. The collars, sleeves, and posts firmly engage each other due to their relative respective sizes. When all support posts are inserted, the shelving system is placed in position and is ready for use. As the load on the shelf increases, a radially-inwardly directed force between the collars and sleeves brings the sleeves into locking relation with the posts due to the wedging action between the collars and sleeves.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,705 (Maslow) discloses an adjustable shelving system similar to U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,508.
Other examples of known shelving systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,864 (Maslow); U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,077 (Niblock); U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,818 (Sudimak, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,670 (Kolvites, et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,044 (Welsch); U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,350 (Kolvites, et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,519 (Welsch, et al.).
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/093,331 further improves upon the shelving systems disclosed above by providing hanger brackets which permit easy installation and/or removal of one or more intermediate shelves without requiring the disassembly of the entire shelving system. Toward that end, that application discloses a plurality of elongated hanger-bracket-receiving slots formed in the support posts at regular vertical intervals for receiving the hanger brackets. A notch in each hanger bracket receives a truncated corner of an intermediate shelf assembly. The hanger brackets are secured to the support posts at any desired height after the basic shelving assembly is assembled and support one or more intermediate shelves.
As a further improvement of conventional shelving systems, it would be desirable to provide hanger brackets that include means for securing or locking an intermediate shelf or shelves and the hanger brackets to the shelving assembly. In this manner, the intermediate shelf could not be dislodged by, for example, an accidental upward force.